Ruin
by ireallydonutcare
Summary: Rose has had it with Malfoy pranking her at every opportunity, but the git just won't stop! When it comes to a confrontation she doesn't realize what she has gotten herself into . . . A/N An upload long due, experimenting with drama for the first time. Hope you enjoy it! Story by me, World by JKR


"_Who loves roses would bear it's thorns."_

\- Turkish Proverb

"That's it, I'm leaving" I snapped. I was fuming. This little piece of shit had done it again, he had riled me up for completely no reason other than his entertainment. For the third time this week he had come up to an unsuspecting me, proceeding to push my buttons until I was angry beyond reason. But then again, I thought marching down the small corridor in the Ravenclaw commons, it was probably my fault for not making a bolt whenever I saw him approach with that twinkle in his eyes and smirk on his face.

Growling, I pushed my way through the crowd streaming into the direction I was coming from. The first prank this week wasn't half-bad, I had to admit. At breakfast on Tuesday morning, my pumpkin juice had exploded onto about a dozen people in my vicinity, which resulted in numerous expletives towards the Slytherins who were unable to contain their laughter. Others affected took out their revenge for me, but obviously, I had it worst. Not only was my freshly laundered and ironed uniform ruined, but so was my face and hair. To be fair, Malfoy knew me well, because those circumstances didn't really bother me. Having to go back into my dorm, shower, put on new clothes and having to miss precious time of my lessons was what really got me. _"Had to copy someone elses notes instead of being able to write your own, hadn't you Weasley? I think the world is about to end"_ he said to me after third period, feigning a stroke and causing fits of laughter from his mates. I just went beetred with anger and bashfulness and stomped past, unable to reply.

With a huff, I grapped the banister of one of the staircases while trying to hide my growing emotional distress from the other partygoers. On Thursday, I was alone in the library writing the last paragraphs of my twelve-foot long essay for History of Magic, eager to finish so I could join my friends in the common room. All of a sudden, he had strolled up to my table, sat himself down and protruded me with mysterious questions. Distracted by his antics, I failed to notice he had replaced my quill with a spill-quill, one of my uncles latest inventions, which contents ended up all over my essay, clothes and floor. My distress then caused Madam Pince banning me from the library and a Malfoy with an uplifted spirit. In the end, I was left without a paper to turn in the next morning, no quiet space to rewrite it and no one to blame it on, because just my luck, there hadn't been anyone else there to see what had happened. I then stayed up until two in the morning finishing the paper and nearly overslept the dead-line. When Malfoy passed me to hand in the work he chuckled into my ear: _"Guessing that won't be an O, will it Weasley?"_ Again, I was at a loss for words.

The sound of jugs of butterbeer clanking together in celebration brought me to my current situation: running from Malfoy. In the middle of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Victory Party over Gryffindor he had managed to exhaust even my patience. Literally in front of my eyes had he managed to get three of my family members drunk. Probably my biggest weak spot was my family, so he had gotten that right. When they, one after the other, made a fool of themselves, I had lost my mood for a party. Albus had stumbled into a group of girls in an offensive attempt of flirting and was now lying unconsciously in a corner, providing a perfect photo opportunity for his peers. Now, since Albus was my age and Malfoys best friend I shouldn't have to take care of him anymore, but come on! However, the embarrassment didn't stop there. For some reason, my little cousins Lily and Lucy had snuck into the party, Lily clearly not yet old enough to drink. But here they were, swaying around the room arm in arm as tipsy as could be and laughing manically. They probably had never consumed this much alcohol and to be honest, I was scared for them. Next morning would be like hell for them, no doubt, but knowing how the rumour mill in the school worked our parents would get wind of tonight's antics sooner rather than later. As family, I would have to stick out whatever punishment they'd receive. All because of a pretentious, arrogant ferret whose only goal in life seemed to be the destruction of mine. I was sick of it. Not even a party was something I was be able to enjoy in peace nowadays.

While stumbling out of the portal and down the dark and empty main staircase, the realization that I had not been able to come up with a decent comeback yet again unravelled me just a little more. God, why did he have to be such a prick?

"Weasley, wait!" his voice behind me triggered something inside me. I spun around.

"What? Do you want to spit another sarcastic comment at me about how glorious this "prank" was?" I gestured the quotation marks with both hands. "Oh mighty Malfoy, I bow down at your genius!" I snapped, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Even the way he was standing on top of the staircase, nonchalantly, with his hands in his pockets, like everyone was below him.

"What is your problem Malfoy?" I continued "Am I some sort of toy you have picked out amongst the students to provide you with your daily entertainment?"

I looked up into his eyes, my façade crumbling more and more. Not long until it fell completely.

"What have I ever done to you? What is the reason you have to make my life this miserable? Help me out here, I'm at a loss."

I flailed my arms in a helpless motion, my face portraying all the emotion I was feeling right now. His reaction to my plea was to look down, his sentiments unreadable. Standing before him like that, having revealed how I felt about the whole situation, made me feel naked. Like having stripped all of my clothes just in front of him. In an effort to prove resolve I did not have, I said, my voice trembling:

"I could ruin you, you know?"

At that he looked up, his piercing grey eyes shining in the darkness. A small lopsided smirk with dimples formed on his face.

"I know."

He replied with a calm and collected voice. His answer threw me completely off course. Why was he accepting my threat, without any objection? My mind was empty, unable to come up with a reply.

We just looked at each other for what felt like a little eternity. Since my mind was occupied rebooting its system, all I could do was stare at him open mouthed. His figure, illuminated like a halo by the slightly opened portal, stood elegantly and firm. He was everything I wasn't: calm, collected and within his right mind (as far as I could tell). I barely registered he had taken a step down the stairwell and was regarding me with a strange look on his face.

"I have known for a while now." He looks down on his perfectly polished shoes. I never realized until now a dress shoe could look this attractive on someone. "In fact, I think I have known since I saw you on the train platform our first year" When he looks up again the little lopsided smile is back, only a little bit more hesitant.

Still, my mind is a desert. My blank face and unchanged demeanour must've thrown him off because he is taking another two steps down while swinging his wine glass in his hand around threatening to spill the, no doubt, expensive liquid.

"I mean, how could I not. Obviously you are stunning and very beautiful-" he chuckles nervously. "-and over the years I have come to find you are also immensely smart and witty, you're funny and athletic, and –" he trails off, and either it's the reflections of the torches or my mind is playing tricks on me, but something resembling a blush is forming on his cheeks.

It takes another three seconds or so until my brain has registered the auricular information and then, the knut drops.

"So you're telling me you're fancying me?" I ask, and while speaking my anger is bubbling up like a geyser, yet again.

Malfoy senses my apprehensiveness, but is unsure of where exactly this is going. He takes another several steps towards me, leaving only two between us.

"I mean, I've never done this before but I guess-"

"You're joking right? You're trying to tell me you have been conveying your feelings to me by pulling pranks, like some kind of twelve year old?" I cut him off, voice steady and loud. I cannot believe it. Where are we, kindergarten?

He rubs his neck and blushes again, but I've had enough of it. I walk up the stairs so we're eye to eye.

"Listen, Malfoy, we're in year seven and legally adults. I do not have the time nor any interest in someone who cannot get across his message directly and easy for me to understand." I look him straight in the eyes, unwavering. "I do not see myself with someone who has the humour of a child and doesn't hold back from dragging members of my family into his schemes to get his message across. Even though I have to admit you knew exactly how to get to me.-" I am too busy ranting that I fail to notice the spark in his eyes at my words "-If you excuse me, I am going to remove my family before they manage to ruin this event for everyone."

I turn around taking the next step before I am whisked around by a hand on my elbow. Next thing I know is his lips on mine, softly pressed against them. The feeling spreading in my entire body makes me forget who I am for a moment, so it takes me a couple seconds to realize his mouth has left mine. I open my eyes, body frozen on the spot, Scorpius leaning over me.

"Wow." He whispers and just the way his voice sounds makes the hair on my arms stand up in pleasure. I look up and see his gaze wandering over my face, eyes big, dark and shiny.

I have seen this look before, with my parents. When my dad comes home late and mum rushes to the door to greet him with a long hug and a kiss. When my mum throws in a witty remark or a clever point into a conversation. It's love.

But that's impossible. My pulse begins to race again, temper rising. Without giving it another thought, I speak my mind.

"Who do you think you are, just kissing me when the time seems convenient?" I rip myself from his embrace and walk back up another step.

His reaction is to actually laugh in my face, that bastard. "Rose, I know for a fact that you liked our kiss, too" he says gently and against my will I begin to blush violently. Stupid Weasley genes.

"I saw that look on your face" he grins in the most wicked way and it makes me want to kiss that mouth again so- wait, what?

He climbs the stairs and I backtrack further to keep the distance between us. I am not done with this.

"You can't just kiss women on the lips if you have nothing to say anymore!" I argue and gesture wildly in frustration. Somehow, I lose my balance in the process and feel myself falling backwards. I don't even have time to make a noise before I feel strong arms engulfing me and keeping me from hitting the stairs. They are hot on my sides. My fists are clenched around his arms, Scorpius eyes are boring into mine.

"Listen, Rose." His pleading tone gives me chills "I don't do this with other women, only with you. And I know my behaviour was stupid, I just couldn't figure out another way to get your attention. Besides, I love riling you up, you become all fierce then" he smirks and I feel my heart stop. With his face so close to mine I can barely think. My stricken expression must've made him wonder so he adds:

"I won't continue with my pranks from now on, I promise" he says, his eyes begging me.

I bite my lip in thought, wondering if I want to make this work. After all, we have pretty good chemistry.

"Merlins beard, stop biting your lip like that, it gives me ideas" he huffs and I notice the husky undertone. My heart leaps. I begin to smile and his face lights up with hope.

"So-" he asks cautiously

"So-" I mimic him and laugh while he looks exasperated.

"Would you go on a date with me?" he finally demands, his look steady on my eyes.

I grin and before I can say anything, his lips are on mine again, filling me up with a bubbly feeling from head to toe. I feel his smile against mine and maybe, but just maybe, I smile back.

A/N: Oh. My. God. It's been a minute! Thank you sooo soooooo much for reading, that in itself is such a miracle to me! I'm really, terribly sorry for not uploading in ages and I don't really have any other excuses other than: Life happened! I'm already in my third year at uni and haven't written a fic in at least a year, sadly. This piece in particular was written in one (!) go in August 2018 and I don't even know why I've never published it until now. I hope you liked it and Happy Holidays, no matter what you celebrate and wherever you are! xx


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